The Ivy House - By Drea Stein Page 0,77

of concluding a business deal, but this was something different. Something inexplicable and heart changing.

“She’s a natural.” Chase was jolted out of his reverie by Lynn.

“What?” It took a moment for Chase to come back to reality.

“With the kids. Have you ever seen a dozen five-year-olds sit still for this long? And the monster was all her idea. Anyway, thanks for hooking us up with a tent guy. The fair benefits the clinic, so every penny saved is more for them. Thanks so much.”

“My pleasure,” Chase managed to mumble, his attention back on Phoebe. A natural. A creative, talented, beautiful, sexy woman.

Phoebe finally saw him, gave him a curt nod, and then her attention was caught by a little girl tugging on her hand.

Phoebe bent down to listen as the little girl whispered a suggestion that they make pointy teeth for the monster, but her mind was elsewhere. She wondered how long Chase had been there watching her. But now, he was there, giving her a look, something different from the usual steamy ones he threw her way. This one had been intense. It had been the look of a drowning man, who had just realized that the last ship had passed him by. But before she had time to dwell on it, the kids took up the chant of “pointy teeth, pointy teeth,” and she was drawn back into the real world.

<<>>

Phoebe packed up the last of the art materials into a large plastic bin. Her feet hurt and she was tired, but energized.

“That was a lot of fun,” she told Lynn as they broke down the card table. Chase had disappeared after a while, and she hadn’t seen him again.

“Thank you so much. It was our best year ever, so I hope that means that the clinic will be able to get some new equipment.”

“Well, I’m glad you talked me into it,” Phoebe said, taking a moment to stretch.

“Let me help you with those.” Chase appeared beside them, a smile on his face. Phoebe looked at him, searching for the look he had given her earlier. He took her scrutiny in, but gave away nothing as they continued to clean up. They packed things away and it wasn’t until he was walking her to the car that he whispered in her ear, “Let’s go home tonight, just the two of us.”

She didn’t need to ask where he meant by home, but the thrill that shot through her, as he took her hand in his, wasn’t lust; it was something entirely different, and she knew that as much as she had pretended that this was a casual affair, it no longer was.

Chapter 36

The moon was full and it came in through the window, suffusing the room with light. Phoebe sparkled like silver and he brought her to him, kissing her gently, sweetly. Slowly, he undressed her, reverently addressing her body with his mouth, feasting slowly and fully on her. Something had changed for him and he wanted to savor her. So far, whenever he had been with her, it had been wild and passionate, the ice queen with the fire dragon underneath. But tonight, now, he wanted to savor every minute of her. When she tried to rush him, he just shook his head and held her hands, letting his fingers brush over her, gently teasing and testing, watching her as the pressure built, knowing she was practically begging for release. Still, he decided to torment her a little more, taking his time as his hands roamed over her, as she writhed and moaned with pleasure.

Finally, she sat up and pulled him to her. “Now,” she whispered, and when he smiled, she said, “Please, I need you.”

He was undone then and he pushed himself into her slowly, feeling her hot wetness close around him, hiding him tight. He pulled in and out slowly, and as her hips rose up to meet him, he moved faster and she matched his rhythm. Thrust for thrust, they moved together in a slow, steady beat, pushing them higher and higher towards the edge. They reached it together and he gave one more moan and dove into her fully, and he watched as her eyes filled with pleasure. He held back no longer and followed her over the edge.

Afterwards, they lay together, and she fell asleep beside him, curled around him and, for once, he hadn’t been thinking of the best way to disentangle himself without waking the woman next to him and making